K-Line Faces Cartel Charges in Australia

Criminal charges have been laid against Japanese-based company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line) in relation to alleged cartel conduct concerning the international shipping of cars, trucks and buses to Australia between July 2009 and September 2012.

The matter was before the Downing Centre Local Court for a first mention on Tuesday.

K-Line is a global organisation with offices in Europe, Africa, Northeast Asia, South East Asia, Japan, North America, Central America, South America, India, the Middle East, and Oceania (including Australia). It has over 7,000 employees and its headquarters is in Tokyo. It also has an Australian subsidiary, K-Line (Australia) Pty Ltd.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s investigation into other alleged cartel participants is continuing.

K-Line, NYK WWL and CSAV have already pleaded guilty in a U.S. investigation into price fixing over the last couple of years. In addition, eight executives have been charged for their participation in the conspiracy including Mauricio Javier Garrido Garcia, an executive of CSAV, Yoshiyuki Aoki, formerly of K-Line, and Masahiro Kato and Shunichi Kusunose, formerly of NYK.

The news comes a few weeks after K-Line, NYK and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines agreed to merge their container divisions. NYK pleaded guilty to criminal cartel conduct before the Australian Federal Court earlier this year.